Exploring the learning potential of internships abroad in VET from a student's perspective

Context: International mobility for education and training purposes is high on the policy agenda of the European Union and its member states, and the number of VET students participating in mobility programmes has been increasing during the last decade in Germany. This raises questions about the objectives, the effects and the organisation of stays abroad, which have so far remained largely untouched by VET research. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the learning potential of internships abroad in VET. Approach/methods: The analysis is based on qualitative interviews conducted with 12 VET students and apprentices having spent at least four weeks for training abroad. A qualitative content analysis based on a subject-centred learning theory was used to identify and understand the learning effects of international mobility.

Findings: The analysis resulted in the construction of a typology of three figures of learners abroad: the expert, the trainee and the adventurer. Each of these figures describes a typical way by which learners develop learning objectives and strategies to exploit the learning potential of mobility. Conclusion: The findings illustrate and further develop existing theories on learning abroad and raise questions as to the role of pedagogical interventions to support learning processes in mobility projects.

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